


Per Flammam

by Maiden_of_Asgard, StarScreamLoki



Series: Marvel 4k followers challenge [6]
Category: Loki - Fandom
Genre: Everyone will be happy, Gen, Loki doesn't always have the best ideas, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, POV Third Person, in the end everything will be fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 16:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17532110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiden_of_Asgard/pseuds/Maiden_of_Asgard, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarScreamLoki/pseuds/StarScreamLoki
Summary: He’d hoped that this would be a quick adventure - get in, get the artifact, get out. Unfortunately for Loki Laufeyson, nothing ever seems to go quite according to plan.





	Per Flammam

**Author's Note:**

> I’m a little nervous for this one as Maiden of Asgard is one of my favorite writers whom I look up to. I got a little swept away whilst writing this, but this was fun. If you have seen the Desolation of Smaug, you’ll get what I was aiming for. Also, if you are a fan of Drizzt/Jarlaxle, you might get the reference. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy.

The charred, cracked stone path narrowed as it stretched over the chasm below; while Loki could not see beyond the smoke, from the heat alone, he could only assume that a very  _ fiery _ end awaited him if he somehow managed to stumble and fall over the edge.

_ Wretched place _ , he thought, pushing his sweat-slicked hair back from his forehead.  _ Hotter than Muspelheim _ .

Hopping about the worlds beyond Yggdrasil collecting artifacts of power had become something of a passion of Loki Laufeyson’s. Following his most recent ‘death,’ he’d decided that it might be wise to take a break from the Nine Realms for a time; after all, he hadn’t exactly had the best luck there for some years, had he?

Eventually, perhaps, he thought that he might make a reappearance - Jotunheim could certainly use a new king, after all, and Thor was bound to get bored ruling over an entirely  _ peaceful _ Nine. But for now, Loki was content to bide his time and build his power.

_ Content _ might be a bit of a strong word. At the moment, he was far from  _ content. _ The leather of his trousers felt as if it were on the verge of melding with his skin, and the humid, steaming air made his eyes water.

When he neared the far edge of the chasm, the smoke lifted for a moment, and Loki groaned in frustration as he spied an armored woman blocking off the end of the path, the tip of her broadsword buried in the dust.

_ What a pitiful Guardian _ , Loki thought; the woman was neither tall nor imposing, and had it not been for the vivid lavender of her eyes, he might’ve even thought her a mortal.

“I thought you were all dead,” he said, far too tired and irritated to bother with charm. “Stand aside.”

She must be young, this one - there was a slight nervousness about her, an uncertainty. Her grip on her sword handle tightened as he approached, but she did not move. “You trespass on sacr—”

“This is a dead world,” Loki interrupted. “And unless you wish to join your revered ancestors, I suggest you  _ move.” _

The girl frowned, reaching up to pull off her helmet, her short red curls spilling free. “I took an oath, Asgardian,” she said, “and I will not abandon my post.”

_ Certainly young _ , Loki decided,  _ and prettier than expected.  _ He didn’t really want to kill her - he’d been trying to be a bit more noble, these past few years, and wiping out one of the last surviving members of an ancient magical race seemed a bit  _ much _ , but he also did not have any desire to spend more time than necessary on this damned fire-planet.

To her credit, she did not flinch as he towered over her, though he saw her scanning his form, trying to assess the threat. “Get out my way,” he snapped, leaning down to meet her eyes, “before I move you  _ myself.” _

There it was - a tiny spark of fear. The ground groaned and tumbled beneath them, and Loki’s already-thin patience frayed even more. The entire place was on the verge of collapse, and if  he didn’t reach the cave before the mountain erupted…

He lunged for her, and she wasn’t quite quick enough to evade him, though she was much more limber than he might’ve expected from someone wearing such heavy armor, and she writhed and twisted in his grip as he attempted to wrest her sword from her hands.

_ This is mad _ , he thought. _ I should’ve just killed her at once and been done with it. _

They were still grappling on the narrow path, the girl pinned beneath him, when the rock began to groan, and a jet of molten fire shot up from the chasm, narrowly missing the bridge. Both froze as a loud, gurgling roar rang out, and the girl’s sword clattered to the ground beside them.

Loki turned to look at her, and the wide-eyed panic on her face made his stomach drop. “ _ What _ ,” he hissed, “is  _ that? _ ”

The creature that rose from the depths send shivers down Loki’s spine. It was at least half a dozen times taller than him. Its dark-brown skin looked as if it was made of leather and his fiery red eyes seemed to penetrate everything it gazed upon. The paws of its hind-legs harbored long, black talons which, Loki suspected, were sharp as knives. But the most frightening - and what also made Loki’s heart squeeze a little with fear - where the manes of fire and how the hot element danced around the creature, heeding its every call.

The girl, still pinned beneath him, squirmed and tried to crawl from him. Loki let her.

As soon as the fiery creature had fully emerged, the girl bowed, kneeled and even threw herself prostrate on the ground. she muttered under her breath, “oh, great Ifrit. I’m unworthy and beg you forgiveness, your Greatness. I-”

Loki tuned out her pleading and flattering.  _ Ifrit? _ He hadn’t heard of that name or creature before. The book that had set him on a trail to the item he wanted to obtain hadn’t said anything about this… Beast.

He was staring at it, still a little lost in thought when the creature suddenly seemed to notice him and turned to him. “Kneel or perish!” it bellowed in a language Loki hadn’t heard in centuries.

He wasn’t going to argue with it and choose silence over his Silver Tongue. Quickly he grabbed the girl by the back of her neck and hauled her to her feet, using her as a live shield. Slowly he started to back up the narrow path towards the cave, the girl strashing in his grip, screaming.

The retreat was slower than he’d liked, and without ever losing eye-contact with the creature he made it to the mouth of the cave. The creature - Ifrit - put its paw in the air, ready to strike. Without a thought Loki pushed the girl forward, hard, and ran into the cave.

A thunderous crack and a scream that went through marrow and bone haunting him as he ran. The sound of rubble and debris falling followed and the corridor of the cave got illuminated a little bit more.

He briefly looked over is shoulder to see that the mouth of the cave had collapsed, Ifrit climbing over the ruins to give chase. And the Girl? Well, she seemed to have paid with her life as she lay on the floor motionless.

Loki ran as if the devil was on his tail, which almost seemed the case. How ironic?

The narrow corridor gave way to a large den, and as the fire behind him shone light on its contents, Loki got momentarily blinded. Piles of gold as far as the eye could see, stacked higher than Ifrit himself. Baubles and trinkets shone menacingly in the eerie light and briefly Loki wondered how he was ever going to find the specific item.

First things first; hiding himself so Ifrit couldn’t find him! He rounded the piles of gold, making himself small and getting out of sight.

The sudden heat and light that filled the room heralded Ifrit’s arrival. “Where are you, little thief?” it bellowed.

Still cramped in his hiding-spot, Loki weaved a spell so he could locate the object quicker. The green flare of his spell gave him away and Loki swore under his breath.

“There you are!” and Loki could hear the creature move towards him.

His locator spell had taken hold and before he was aware he was on the run again.

“Thief! Stealing my gold, how dare you?” Ifrit howled.

Loki was just in time to dodge a strike from the creature’s claws, golden coins and other items flying through the room.

“Not exactly,” Loki answered in the same guttural language whilst maintain his run. Almost there, he was almost… there!

Head on he dove for a stack of gold, blindingly grabbing for the trinket he wanted. His fingers closed around it and his locator spell broke.

The God briefly looked down at the tiny black statue in his palm carved into the likings of an emaciated horse.

Ifrit was almost upon him. “If you believe in any god, I suggest praying to them now,” the creature growled.

Loki needed the item to get away quickly before he would meet his demise. Not sure if the spell he had memorized would work, he chanted the words. It wasn’t a long spell but the words were tongue-tripping and tedious.

Black smoke swiveled around his hand and the black nightmare steed appeared just at the same moment Ifrit stopped in front of him. Ifrit blinked at him with its fiery, red eyes. “Wait, you are here to take  _ that _ ?” it asked baffled.

A little taken aback by Ifrit’s incrediolisty Loki said, “yes,” as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You’re not here to steal my gold?” Ifrit asked.

Loki’s face contorted in confusion. “No,” he answered cautiously. “I have no interest in gold.”

“Oh.” Ifrit seemed to slump, fight draining from his posture and taking on a much more relaxing one. “All right,” Ifrit flicked casually.

Now Loki was truly baffled. The unspoken question must have been written all over his face as the fiery creature answered it. “I think he is better of with you than locked up in my vault. And if you’re not going to steal my gold...”

Loki was getting suspicious. This was too easy, and he narrowed his eyes at Ifrit. “You are going to let me take the horse?”

“Yes. He seems lonely,” Ifrit answered and sat down on a pile of gold, melting it while doing so.

Next to Loki the nightmare steed breezed and patted his hoof on the floor, moving golden coins.

Curiosity got the better of him then. “You are not a dragon, are you?”

Ifrit laughed. “No, I’m an Ifrit. Ah- Djinn you would call it. Though I don’t like it when people steal from me.”

“And me walking out of here with…  _ him _ doesn’t count as stealing?” Loki countered suspicious. He chastited himself. Why, by the Norns, would you ask that?

“Not if you trade me that golden helmet of yours for it.”

“So, you don’t mind me taking the steed if I trade you my helmet for it and you shall let me walk out of here alive,” the Trickster asked.

Ifrit made a raspy, guttural sound what could have passed as a laugh. “I’ll let you have your life if you resurrect Mayra.”

“What is Mayra?”

“The woman with the purple eyes. I like her. We talk sometimes. It tends to get lonely down there.”

How by the Norns was he going to resurrect that girl? He wasn’t a necromancer. Death wasn’t his domain!

Ifrit bend to a pile of gold and rummaged through it, pulling a shiny, purple bauble from it. “You can use this to bring her back to life,” and Ifrit unceremoniously dropped the shiny stone in front of Loki’s feet.

Wary he picked it up and peered at it. It was worth a shot. If he had to choose between leaving his helmet behind and resurrecting the girl, or fighting this Djinn with its fiery might, he would gladly take the first option.

“All right,” Loki nodded, still cautious, and took off his helmet and placed it on one of the stacks. Without losing sight of Ifrit he mounted his nightmare steed and they tracked toward the mouth of the cave where the body of girl was.

It was a really uncomfortable journey. Loki knew he had speed by his side now he was seated on the dead horse, and he could bolt for it, but he didn’t have anything to lose either. The vow he had made to himself to take less lives also befitted this.

He demouted his steed once they arrived at the chasm, the girl lying almost peacefully on the floor.

With a look at Ifrit Loki walked to the girl and placed the bauble in one of her hands, folding her fingers around it and wrapping his own hands around her hand. He muttered the spell that would bring her back to life - Loki didn’t know how he knew the right words, he just did.

A purple light enveloped her being and her chest rose and fell, breathing again.

His eyes wandered back to Ifrit who nodded. “Thank you. You may go now, she will be fine.”

Not needing to be told twice, Loki mounted his steed and took off.

Once he reached the passage between the realms, Loki used the spell to put the nightmare steed back into the obsidian statue. Ifrit had stayed true to his word and hadn’t followed him nor was there any indication that he would just emerge to stop Loki at the last second.

This entire ordeal felt as a weird anti-climax but he had what he wanted without losing anything over it.

Loki summoned his helmet, placing it back on his head and leaping to the other realm.

No, he hadn’t lost anything over it, but Ifrit might have. 

Never strike a deal with the Trickster God.

 

**The end**

**Author's Note:**

> We're really curious what you think of this fic and we would be overjoyed if you leave a comment. We’ll take anything from a key mash to a full essay.  
> [Follow StarScreamLoki on Tumblr](https://starscreamloki.tumblr.com/)


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